Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle having battery packs coupled to the vehicle in parallel, which each include series-connected cells, a single contactor, a battery pack controller that detects cell voltages, and at least one controller coupled to a bus contactor and the packs. Responsive to a vehicle key on signal, the at least one controller closes the single battery pack contactor for at least one of the battery packs that includes voltage balanced cells. The bus contactor is then closed to deliver electrical power to the vehicle, and may include a precharge contactor that is closed in advance of and until the bus contactor open circuit voltage is reduced to a contactor voltage difference. The battery pack controllers are further configured to detect voltage, current, and temperature of each cell, to open the single contactor, and to adjust the state of charge of unbalanced cells until balanced relative with the others.

Abstract: A battery system has a cell including a container, a substrate mounted to the container, and circuitry on the substrate. The substrate defines antennas, a microprocessor, switches, and a transceiver. The microprocessor sequentially activates the switches to respectively connect the transceiver to the antennas to establish a location relative to a transmitter, and prevents communications with the transmitter responsive to the location falling outside a predefined range.

Abstract: A system for monitoring battery cells of a battery includes a capacitor, a processor, and a controller. The controller is configured to connect the capacitor with a first battery cell to charge the capacitor to a voltage of the first battery cell and then (i) connect the capacitor with a second battery cell to form a circuit having an output that is a voltage difference of the capacitor and the second battery cell and (ii) connect the output to the processor for the processor to measure the voltage difference. The voltage difference is the voltage difference between the first battery cell and the second battery cell.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a voltage sensing circuit configured to detect voltages across cells in a fuel cell stack, and powered by a power supply sharing a voltage reference with the cells and having a voltage magnitude greater than a sum of voltage magnitudes of the cells. The system further includes a controller configured to, responsive to a change in polarity in at least one of the voltages indicative of freezing of the cells, issue an alert notification.

Abstract: A battery system has a battery cell including a can and tabs, flexible circuits on and electrically isolated from the can, and electrically connected with the tabs, and a monolithic integrated circuit. The monolithic integrated circuit is mounted to the can via thermally conductive adhesive such that the can and monolithic integrated circuit are electrically isolated from one another. The monolithic integrated circuit is also wire bonded to the flexible circuits, and configured to measure and transmit data about the battery cell.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a battery assembly including a grouping of battery cells and an integrated module attached to the grouping of battery cells. The integrated module includes an upper section housing at least one electronics component and a lower section establishing a vent chamber.

Abstract: A high-voltage system for a vehicle includes a module having a resonant circuit coupled across powerlines, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, during a power up of the high-voltage system, propagate on the powerlines a first signal at a fundamental frequency for a first period. The controller is further programmed to, in response to a first impedance measured across the powerlines at the fundamental frequency during the period being less than a predetermined value, close main contactors to energize the module.

Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a controller and contactor arranged to close responsive to current magnitude through a coil thereof exceeding a first threshold. The controller, following a request to open the contactor, applies current to the coil at a magnitude less than the first threshold for a duration, and responsive to peak current through the contactor during the duration being less than a second threshold, prevents start of the vehicle.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle battery system that comprises a plurality of cells that are electrically coupled to an electric motor of the vehicle is provided, the electric motor being mechanically coupled to a drive system of the vehicle. The battery system is configured to: determine a voltage requirement of the battery system at least partially based on a current operating mode or an anticipated operating mode; and adjust the configuration of the cells in order to increase or decrease the voltage of the battery system according to the requirement. A method of operating a hybrid vehicle is also provided.

Abstract: A battery system has a cell including a container, a substrate mounted to the container, and circuitry on the substrate. The substrate defines antennas, a microprocessor, switches, and a transceiver. The microprocessor sequentially activates the switches to respectively connect the transceiver to the antennas to establish a location relative to a transmitter, and prevents communications with the transmitter responsive to the location falling outside a predefined range.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a relay and coil of a contactor. The relay is configured to transfer current between a traction battery and an electrical load when closed. The system also includes a controller configured to operate a switch such that current flow from the traction battery through the coil and switch, and bypassing the relay, causes the relay to close to permit pre-charging of the load.

Abstract: A vehicle battery management system is disclosed. The system may include a cell casing and a tripwire. The cell casing may include connected walls that surround a battery active region. At least one of those walls may define a weakened section. A tripwire may be stretched across the weakened and configured to break to interrupt current flow therethrough responsive to a pressure within the cell casing surpassing a predetermined threshold causing the weakened section to bulge towards the tripwire.

Abstract: A power system for a vehicle includes a traction battery that provides power to drive the vehicle, a load, and a harness having wires electrically connecting the traction battery and load, and shielding covering the wires. The power system further includes one or more control blocks that drive a signal onto the shielding, and responsive to an absence of detecting feedback from the signal, issue an interlock integrity alert.

Abstract: A battery system has a battery cell including a can and tabs, flexible circuits on and electrically isolated from the can, and electrically connected with the tabs, and a monolithic integrated circuit. The monolithic integrated circuit is mounted to the can via thermally conductive adhesive such that the can and monolithic integrated circuit are electrically isolated from one another. The monolithic integrated circuit is also wire bonded to the flexible circuits, and configured to measure and transmit data about the battery cell.

Abstract: A battery system has a cell, a substrate mounted on the cell, and monitoring circuitry on the substrate and exclusively powered by the cell. The battery system also has a switch on the substrate electrically between the cell and monitoring circuit, and control circuitry on the substrate. The control circuitry, responsive to a value of a parameter of the cell measured by the monitoring circuitry falling outside a predefined range, opens the switch to electrically disconnect the monitoring circuit from the cell.

Abstract: A battery system includes a cell, and an integrated circuit and flexible circuitry on and electrically isolated from a container of the cell. The flexible circuitry is arranged with the cell and integrated circuit to form a dipole antenna that wirelessly transmits signals from the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A battery system has a cell and a substrate mounted on the cell. The substrate includes circuitry defining a processor that generates data about the cell, an antenna, a power line communication (PLC) interface, and a coupler that selectively directs signals from the processor containing the data to each of the antenna and PLC interface.

Abstract: A battery system has a battery cell including a can, and a ceramic substrate, including a patterned metallized surface, mounted to the can via a thermally conductive adhesive. The battery system also has a monolithic integrated circuit that measures and transmits data about the cell mounted to the patterned metallized surface such that the ceramic substrate and monolithic integrated circuit are electrically isolated from one another.

Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a pair of electrical buses connected to terminals of a traction battery via a shared positive contactor and a pair of negative contactors. The system further includes a controller configured to, responsive to a request to close the contactors and a difference between voltage magnitudes of the buses being greater than a predefined threshold, actively discharge one of the buses to reduce the difference.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a contactor including a coil and relay, a traction battery, a load, and a controller configured to transfer current from the traction battery through the coil to pre-charge the load without causing the relay to close such that a voltage drop across the relay falls below a threshold value, and subsequently cause the relay to close.